The mantle for QB1 in the 2026 NFL Draft remains unclaimed, but Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik is among the best positioned to reach that pinnacle entering the 2025 season. Klubnik has the pedigree, and the production is starting to follow suit.
What does Klubnik show on film that makes him such a compelling 2026 NFL Draft prospect? That’s what we’re here to discuss.
Cade Klubnik is Realizing His Five-Star Potential on the Path to the 2026 NFL Draft
People still speak of Klubnik’s career at Westlake High School in legends. During his time at Westlake in Austin, Texas, Klubnik broke the school’s career passing records, surpassing Super Bowl champion QBs Drew Brees and Nick Foles, as well as former Texas slinger Sam Ehlinger.
Across a three-year varsity stretch, Klubnik amassed over 8,500 total yards, 86 passing touchdowns, and 29 scores on the ground. As a senior, Klubnik completed 187-of-263 attempts (71.1%) for 3,215 yards, 43 touchdowns, and just three interceptions.
For context, that’s a 16.3% TD percentage, a 1.1% INT percentage, and an average of over 17 yards per completion. Klubnik also led Westlake to three state championships.
Even the word “superlative” doesn’t quite convey Klubnik’s high school dominance, but maybe this will: Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney tabbed Klubnik — a consensus five-star recruit — as his choice to recapture the QB magic that Trevor Lawrence gave the program from 2018 to 2020.
As a freshman in 2022, Klubnik was behind fellow former five-star D.J. Uiagalelei on the depth chart. But when Uiagalelei fell out of favor and transferred to Oregon State, Klubnik became the team’s starter in 2023.
Klubnik’s first season was respectable, but it left questions about Clemson’s ultimate ceiling with him at the helm. In 2024, however, Klubnik took the leap and became the playmaker the college football world had been waiting to see.
In 14 games, Klubnik converted on 308-of-486 attempts (63.4%) for 3,639 yards, 36 TDs, and just six INTs, adding 463 yards and seven TDs on the ground and earning the Tigers an ACC Championship and a College Football Playoff appearance.
Klubnik is evolving into what many thought he could be, and he also perfectly fits an archetype of QB gaining headway in the modern NFL. Early in the 2026 cycle, Klubnik has very real early first-round aspirations. Here’s why they’re merited.
Cade Klubnik Deep Dive: How Does the Clemson QB Win?
Klubnik isn’t the domineering physical specimen most have come to expect at the No. 1 overall pick. Yes, he’s talented, but his brand of talent differs from former first-rounders Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and other more prototypical NFL QBs.
Klubnik is 6-foot-2 at most and just 210 pounds. He’s average height for the NFL and lighter and leaner than preferred. But at that size, he makes it work with a mix of athleticism, all-encompassing composite arm talent, and keen intrinsic instincts under center.
Before we dive in all the way, let’s pinpoint Klubnik’s style as a passer. Perhaps the most prevalent trait on the Clemson QB’s tape is his arm elasticity and off-platform torque flexibility.
He’s not built like a 240-pound android and doesn’t have a rocket launcher, but he can generate velocity from almost any platform, with any arm angle. Even working left against his dominant hand, he can create throwing opportunities at any point on a rep. The play below is a good example.
Cade Klubnik’s off-platform hip torque and flexibility is absurd. Even rolling to his left, there’s no struggle getting that full rotation and opening that energy channel.
Dude is as smooth as it gets off-script. pic.twitter.com/pJQmRZ01o4
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) May 7, 2025
Klubnik’s throwing mechanics are fluid, athletic, and endlessly flexible, making for an extremely exciting creative framework. With his size, arm elasticity, and creative IQ, Klubnik, in fact, resembles 2024 Broncos first-round pick Bo Nix.
That said, especially early in his collegiate career, a big knock on Nix’s profile was that he relied on his creation capacity to a fault. There’s a strong argument to make that Klubnik is more polished than Nix was at this stage because he doesn’t rely only on his creation.
Klubnik can create at an extremely high level with his arm elasticity, athleticism, and flexibility, but he’s simultaneously one of the most efficient, composed in-structure QBs in the 2026 class.
And to take it a step further, Klubnik can weaponize his arm elasticity in-structure to adjust release angles and generate touch on intermediate and deep throws.
The throw below is a great example of Klubnik’s coverage ID skills. It’s single-high, and the boundary CB bites on the sit route. That’s all the information Klubnik needs to hit the slot fade, using a concave arm angle to drive the ball with perfect trajectory.
Love this easy touch from Cade Klubnik on the slot fade. Really controlled using a concave arm angle to add that loft and drop it into the bucket. pic.twitter.com/jnbR8JYZV9
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) May 8, 2025
Klubnik isn’t just a one-read QB who folds when things speed up post-snap. He’s among the best in the 2026 class at “stacking actions.”
QBs need to be able to read progressions cross-field, navigate the pocket, and trigger in rapid succession. Klubnik does all of this in the play below, with another perfect touch throw.
I keep coming back to Cade Klubnik’s film. Just so smooth as an operator. The Bo Nix comp stays in my mind, but I think Klubnik is more polished than Nix was at this stage.
One of the best in the 2026 class at stacking actions: Read, reposition, release, etc. pic.twitter.com/Dw0AuUp0sr
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) June 10, 2025
Progression work is one of the most important components of QB play. Passers need to be able to operate on schedule, but they also need to be able to adapt and use discretion when things don’t go according to plan. That off-script composure is another strength of Klubnik’s.
The play below displays Klubnik’s unique discretion as a decision-maker, which is one reason his turnover percentage is so low. It’s a high-pressure red zone play where the ball needs to be out quick. At the top of his drop, Klubnik sees that the defense has everything locked down.
Some young QBs panic or drop their eyes here, but Klubnik doesn’t. He uses his athleticism to reposition and slide away from pressure, buying time for second-reaction routes. And then, when a WR finally breaks open on the scramble drill, Klubnik delivers a timely TD dart off the move.
Discretion is a more inherent element of QB processing: Knowing when to make a throw or not make a throw, and knowing when to stand in the pocket or reposition. Cade Klubnik is *really* strong there.
Plays very mature even with a style that traditionally invites volatility. pic.twitter.com/9GgnRs7ctz
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) May 8, 2025
Traditionally, Klubnik’s play style invites volatility in passers when creative QBs sacrifice mechanical discipline and mental discretion. But Klubnik plays very mature, even within his traditionally volatile archetype.
Just as exciting as Klubnik’s maturity is his situational awareness, vision, and anticipation. He’s still growing with his anticipation through progressions. Still, even in the quick game, he can properly ID when defenders are in conflict, use his eyes to intensify that conflict, and capitalize.
Below, you’ll find a great example of this. It’s a three-step drop with a delayed RB flat route and a TE seam route out of in-line position. At the top of his drop, Klubnik sees the nickel defender bite on the RB flat route, clearing space for the seam route. He quickly triggers and is able to lead the TE away from contact.
One thing I like to gauge from young QBs: Can you isolate / recognize when defenders are in conflict, and capitalize? That’s an important benchmark.
Here, the nickel is trying to sift through the noise and bites on the delayed RB flat. Cade Klubnik knows, and is ready for it. pic.twitter.com/LJ52wuu34y
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) April 10, 2025
Mentally, Klubnik is smart, mature, incredibly efficient, and quick to react in the quick game. Physically, he’s athletic, free-flowing, and flexible, with hyper-elite arm elasticity. What are the weaker areas of his game?
At his size, Klubnik doesn’t have great contact resistance, and he’s not quite an elite athlete in terms of speed and burst. He still has room to rein in his frenetic mechanics and reach a higher echelon of accuracy and precision, but his arm strength might be the biggest hang-up for interested evaluators in Round 1.
To be clear: Klubnik’s arm strength is still good. He generates enough velocity to stay on-schedule in the quick game and on rhythm passes, and he can generate some downfield drive and carriage. But when he’s forced to move the pocket and fade away, his passes can stall out, giving defenders time to close ground.
Interestingly, like Bo Nix, I also think non-elite arm strength is a knock on Cade Klubnik’s profile.
His composite arm talent is superb, but there are times where, when he’s working against his lower body and he can’t get that full rotation, his drive downfield suffers. pic.twitter.com/9zOyKmPFiL
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) June 10, 2025
Right now, there’s no runaway QB1 in the 2026 NFL Draft, so Klubnik is very much in the conversation. But there’s a reason Nix went outside the top 10, while Caleb Williams, Daniels, Maye, Michael Penix Jr., and J.J. McCarthy went inside.
If passers like Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, and others keep developing in 2025, their prototypical size and superior arm strength could be a separator against Klubnik.
Nevertheless, Klubnik has more than enough talent to be a quality NFL starter, and another year of growth could cement his standing in the QB1 race. He’s a platform-diverse point guard with a rare blend of creative freedom and operative feel, and he’s only getting better.